Daytona Wednesday Notebook

Photo: Brian Cleary/BCPix.com

***IMSA’s two-day Daytona test wrapped up on Wednesday with no major incidents or accidents. Two red flags halted action, the first for the No. 46 Ebimotors Lamborghini Huracan GT3, which stopped on the backstretch with just four minutes remaining in the morning session. A second red came out in the afternoon when the PR1/Mathiasen Motorsports Ligier JS P217 Gibson of Tom Kimber-Smith nosed into the tire barriers in Turn 5. It did not return to action for the remainder of the test.

***As was the case on Tuesday, times were not recorded, although unofficial reports had the No. 93 Acura NSX GT3 lapping in the low 1:48s in the morning, with the sister car, on a different strategy, in the low 1:49s. The Paul Miller Lamborghini Huracan GT3 was timed at a 1:48.5 lap, with the SunEnergy1 Mercedes-AMG GT3 in low 1:49s. It compares to high 1:47s run during this year’s Practice 4 for the Rolex 24.

***PR1/Mathiasen drivers have given Continental’s new DPi/LMP2 tire high marks, which made its debut on a Gibson-engined LMP2 car this week. The 2017-spec tire, which has been specifically designed for the new-generation prototypes, has also undergone extensive testing already on the Cadillac DPi.

***Former McLaren F1 engineer Steve Hallam was among the high-profile staff in the 3GT Racing Lexus pits this week. Hallam joined TRD this year as its manager of vehicle support and team engineering. There was also a large presence of other TRD and Lexus engineers and executives in attendance.

***Super GT driver Andrea Caldarelli joined Paul Miller Racing in its Lamborghini Huracan GT3 this week, for his first laps of Daytona. The Italian driver, who co-owns the Lamborghini-backed FFF Racing by ACM team, has been tipped as the team’s fourth driver for the Rolex 24, alongside the returning Bryan Sellers, Madison Snow and Bryce Miller.

***Fellow Lamborghini driver Luca Stolz turned laps in Riley Team AMG’s Mercedes-AMG GT3 during last week’s private test. Stolz co-drove with Riley driver Jeroen Bleekemolen at Grasser Racing Team in this year’s Blancpain GT Series.

***While Mazda became the first manufacturer to unveil its DPi on Wednesday, no word has been given on when GM will take the wraps off its Cadillac DPi car. It’s understood holdups in contracts has been the reason for multiple delays in the car’s debut, which was initially projected for August.

***Wayne Taylor Racing has completed no fewer than four tests already with the Dallara-chassied car, including a recent 24-hour test at Charlotte Motor Speedway alongside Action Express Racing, which had the rollout of its first chassis. A multi-day test is planned at Road Atlanta for next week.

***The new Porsche 911 RSR, also unveiled Wednesday at the LA Auto Show, is expected to be at the next IMSA-sanctioned test at Daytona in December, along with a larger contingent of GT Le Mans class cars.

***Michael Shank Racing’s Petit Le Mans-winning Ligier JS P2 Honda will be on display at the PRI Show next month, still in its race-worn state. Onroak Automotive will also have a Ligier JS P3 and Crawford F4 car on display.

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John